London bus driver filmed playing Sudoku at traffic lights (video)

The driver of a number 80 bus to Victoria is recorded playing Soduko on his steering wheel when stopped at a red light in London

A London cyclist has filmed a bus driver playing Sudoku at a red light, while stopped ahead of the Advanced Stop Line (ASL).

The number 80 to Victoria was stopped with both wheels in the area designated for cyclists when the rider approached. He saw the driver was looking down at something and only when he wheeled up to the window did he see the driver filling in numbers on a sheet of paper resting on his steering wheel.

When recording the incident on March 17, YouTube user Cyclesmash removed the camera from his handlebars and to capture the situation and the driver’s response.

His response when realising he was on camera was to simply raise his middle finger at the cyclist, who retorted: “I’ll have your job.”

ASL boxes are reserved for the safety of cyclists and drivers who enter the box when the traffic light is red are liable for a £100 fine. Those who find themselves in the box when the light changes from green to amber are not liable, as long as they do not pass the front line.

Today (April 8), the Evening Standard revealed that one in ten complaints made to Transport for London about the behaviour of bus drivers involve cyclists.

In figures obtained by a Freedom of Information request, 25 of around 250 incidents made by the public in a two-week period last August involved those on two wheels.

Journey Man

Yes, “seriously”, I believe incidents akin to this do little to foster well being towards cyclists and only create animosity.

Yes, “seriously”, I don’t believe bus drivers stopped at the lights pencilling in sudoku puzzles have the same kinetic energy as the multitudes of drivers going to fast around tight corners, hence don’t pose the same threat.

And yes, “seriously”, I believe the cyclists attitude is the type of polarising attitude that unfortunately puts me, as a cyclist, more at risk.

hamicle

Seriously? His attention should be on the road and other road users.

chris

I’ve just re-read. He was in the ASL box. That’s got to be the most ubiquitous and irritating motoring offence. Yes. He should be reported to his bosses and on reflection maybe the Sudoku has contributed to his lack of concentration. I take it all back!

Hostia

No, this is a very clear safety issue, not strictly illegal (though I think this comes under the category of carelessness) but the driver is not aware of what is going on around him. Lack of awareness of other road users at junctions is key source of risk.

It doesn’t warrant the “I’ll have your job” attitude, I agree, but this should be raised with tfl/the operator as a clear indication of a lack of traning and a lack of general safe practice.

Ultimately, TfL do not appear to give a hoot about safety, and this is deeply worrying.

chris

First off, I’m a cyclist – rode in London for many years and now still rack up 50 or 100 miles every week. You see a lot worse every day. The driver was stopped at lights – doing a puzzle might not be best practice but was he driving illegally or even badly? As for the cyclist, perhaps he should be concentrating on the road ahead. What a self righteous attitude . . . ‘I’ll have your job’. That sit’s with ‘do you know who I am’ and ‘I earn more in a week than you do in a year’. The sort of ‘Andrew Mitchell’ condescending comment that goes against everything a cyclist should be. Whatever happened to ‘live and let live’. Clearly delusional, he thinks that because he’s on a bike he’s judge and jury on the standard of every other road user!

Paul Jakma

Is this actually illegal? Not sure it is… Nor does it seem to pose any dangers either. (?)

Journey Man

Sitting in the ASL box, fair enough. But These videos are becoming vigilante-esque, creating more animosity than the situation warrants. Are cab drivers allowed to note something down whilst stopped? What about someone who’s stopped at the lights and just remembered they need to add washing powder to the shopping list? What about cyclist looking down at their Garmin, or similar?

My largest concern are cars travelling too fast on country roads, passing too close. I train 18-20 hours a week cycling and running, and I see it every day. A guy filling in a number on sudoku whilst stopped at the lights isn’t.